Since Roger was freed, Dumbledore had been watching him in secret.
In Dumbledore's eyes, Roger was perfect in every way, except for his pursuit, which made Dumbledore frown.
Eternal Life!
Even if Roger pursued immortality, Dumbledore wouldn't have had any excessive reaction, as one of his old friends was an immortal.
But eternal life was another concept entirely.
It was a path that was almost impossible. As one of the foremost authorities on magic in the world, Dumbledore could stand by his assertion.
Roger was fine now, but when he truly stood on the path to immortality and wanted to go further, only to discover the despair that lay ahead, what would happen then? Dumbledore didn't want to gamble, didn't dare to gamble, and refused to gamble.
Therefore, entrusting the Philosopher's Stone to Roger this time was an act of trust, a test, and also a form of… attack against Roger!
However, Dumbledore's attack was not on Roger's life, but on his ideals.
Dumbledore understood Seers, so he wouldn't play riddles like he used to, like showing off in front of an expert.
He chose to lay all his cards on the table with Roger.
"Roger, this time I won't have you help for nothing. When everything is over, I'll introduce you to someone. Professor McGonagall has told me about your ideals, and he should be able to help you quite a bit," Dumbledore said.
Entrusting the Philosopher's Stone to Roger was an act of trust, but also a test. Dumbledore had seen too many people and events in his life.
He knew how difficult the path to immortality was. So, when faced with the opportunity for immortality that was within his grasp, could Roger suppress the desires in his heart?
This was the first test.
Can you bear it?
The letter Dumbledore gave Roger not only contained information for the professors to see and granted Roger the 'authority to act at his discretion,' but the letter itself was also a magical artifact. It could mobilize most of Hogwarts' resources, including some of the permissions within the headmaster's office.
It was almost equivalent to half of the temporary headmaster's authority.
Roger had always focused on magic and was friendly to his classmates. Not only Gryffindors, but even Slytherin children, if they encountered difficulties and he saw them, he wouldn't stand by and do nothing.
He wouldn't exclude them just because Slytherins were considered 'outsiders' to Gryffindors.
He focused on himself and treated others equally and kindly. So… when he ascended to a high position, would he still be like this?
Would he use his convenience to do bad things? Would his mindset change due to the shift in his status, or…
Dumbledore had seen too many politicians who were completely different people when out of power compared to when in power, and he had also seen those who spoke of 'the greater good' but became lost in the mortal world.
Now, there wouldn't be armies forcing Roger to the brink of death every day. If he did something slightly out of line, as long as it wasn't too extreme, there wouldn't be severe consequences.
This was the second test.
Still asking, can you bear it? "I will recommend you to study with him for a period of time. If you are interested and he doesn't dislike you, I don't see why I can't recommend you to be his student. Based on my understanding of him, he might even be willing to teach you the method of manufacturing the Philosopher's Stone… You should know who I'm talking about, right?" Dumbledore looked at Roger with gentle eyes.
The path Roger had chosen was one fraught with a thousand dangers.
Dumbledore, who had been closely watching Roger, had naturally noticed what Voldemort had also noticed. Roger's talent was rare, and the greater a person's ability, the greater the influence they could wield.
If Roger's path to eternal life went astray, not only Roger himself, but likely a large number of wizards and Muggles would fall into an abyss along with him! He couldn't stand by and watch such a possibility grow, so he chose to attack.
Dumbledore's three tests were also three killing moves! The Philosopher's Stone and power were a given. If Roger made a mistake, Dumbledore wouldn't need to use severe methods. With a bit of corruption and delusion, Roger's unwavering spirit and will would naturally vanish.
The power of will was the source of magic. Without that indestructible will, Roger's magical talent and future development would be greatly affected.
Roger wouldn't become too much stronger than himself. In that case, Dumbledore, who had the ability to clean up the mess, would naturally do nothing else to Roger besides persuading him to return to the right path.
Well, Dumbledore had never intended to throw Roger into Azkaban just because he made a mistake.
Who hadn't made mistakes when they were young? As long as it didn't involve major moral issues, Dumbledore was always lenient with children and allowed them to make mistakes.
And Dumbledore's third killing move was even more deadly than the previous two!
Dumbledore was not deceiving Roger. If Roger was willing, Dumbledore truly wanted to recommend Roger to his friend, to recommend a successor to his old friend who had lived for over 600 years and was growing somewhat weary of life.
If Roger couldn't resist the temptation of taking a shortcut and was willing to give up his obsessive fantasy of unattainable eternal life for the readily available Philosopher's Stone and Elixir of Life, that would also be a good outcome in Dumbledore's eyes.
Unlike the Philosopher's Stone Roger held in his hand now, which would be consumed, if he learned the method of manufacturing the Philosopher's Stone, as long as Roger didn't want to die, who knew how long he could live? Potentially thousands of years! Eternal life with a probability of less than one in a hundred million, versus immortality with 100% success.
How would you choose? Besides wearing down your mind and losing a certain future possibility, it was all benefits.
This was an unsolvable open scheme.
This was the third test.
And the final killing move.
A third question: Can you bear it?!
"I know, Master Alchemist Nicolas Flamel… I do need knowledge related to Alchemy. Thank you, Mr. Headmaster." Looking after the Philosopher's Stone for a while and learning from Nicolas Flamel were not equivalent, Roger understood this.
Although Roger disliked owing favors, when he genuinely encountered something he needed, Roger never refused out of pride. The favors owed could be repaid later, even doubled, but some opportunities, once missed, were truly gone! "However, regarding formal apprenticeship and the Philosopher's Stone, let's forget it. I have my own path to walk," Roger said firmly.
It wasn't that Roger had any objections to Nicolas Flamel or the Philosopher's Stone.
It was because eternal life was a long and arduous road, and immortality was merely the first step at the starting point.
If, when given a choice, he couldn't even lay a proper foundation for the great path at the very beginning and chose to take a shortcut onto a path he wasn't skilled at and knew nothing about… Roger himself would believe that his path to eternal life was impossible to complete, without anyone else needing to say it!
Such a weak will, did it deserve the fruit of eternal life? "Mm," Dumbledore nodded after hearing Roger's words, without expressing any opinion.
With Dumbledore's vast life experience, what a person said was not important.
How he does it is what matters most.
Things that come easily shouldn't be taken seriously; he looks forward to Roger's future choices.
Let's see if he's deluded by the Philosopher's Stone.
Or intoxicated by the corrupting poison of power.
Or, if he abandons his ideals and chooses reality.
...all of his own tricks were broken one by one by Roger?
If he can truly pass through these three trials of greed, anger, and ignorance.
Then Dumbledore will never again dictate Roger's path! Such terrifying mental fortitude—he should be the one to try that path, the one that countless brilliant wizards, even those whose fame permeated human history, have failed to tread since ancient times...
That dead end!
...
...
...
Unaware that Dumbledore's gentle killing blow, laced with good intentions, was already hanging over his head.
After bidding farewell to Dumbledore, Roger headed towards Professor McGonagall's office.
The professor had said she would be free this afternoon.
Roger was a little curious. If magic in this world was an echo of the soul, and spells and potions were part of the greater system of Ritual Magic, then what would Alchemy be like?
His eyes were filled with anticipation.
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